Create a credit note

Issue a credit note to adjust the amount of a finalized invoice. A credit note will first reduce the invoice’s amount_remaining (and amount_due), but not below zero. This amount is indicated by the credit note’s pre_payment_amount. The excess amount is indicated by post_payment_amount, and it can result in any combination of the following:

Refunds: create a new refund (using refund_amount) or link existing refunds (using refunds).
Customer balance credit: credit the customer’s balance (using credit_amount) which will be automatically applied to their next invoice when it’s finalized.
Outside of Stripe credit: record the amount that is or will be credited outside of Stripe (using out_of_band_amount).

The sum of refunds, customer balance credits, and outside of Stripe credits must equal the post_payment_amount.

You may issue multiple credit notes for an invoice. Each credit note may increment the invoice’s pre_payment_credit_notes_amount, post_payment_credit_notes_amount, or both, depending on the invoice’s amount_remaining at the time of credit note creation.

Returns

Returns a credit note object if the call succeeded.

Parameters

invoice (string, required) ID of the invoice.
amount (integer, required conditionally) The integer amount in the smallest currency unit representing the total amount of the credit note. One of amount, lines, or shipping_cost must be provided.
credit_amount (integer, optional) The integer amount in the smallest currency unit representing the amount to credit the customer’s balance, which will be automatically applied to their next invoice.
effective_at (timestamp, optional) The date when this credit note is in effect. Same as created unless overwritten. When defined, this value replaces the system-generated ‘Date of issue’ printed on the credit note PDF.
email_type (enum, optional) Type of email to send to the customer, one of credit_note or none and the default is credit_note. Possible enum values:
- credit_note credit note email
- none no email
lines (array of objects, required conditionally) Line items that make up the credit note. One of amount, lines, or shipping_cost must be provided.
- lines.type (enum, required) Type of the credit note line item, one of invoice_line_item or custom_line_item. custom_line_item is not valid when the invoice is set up with automatic_tax[enabled]=true. Possible enum values:
  - custom_line_item
  - invoice_line_item
- lines.amount (integer, optional) The line item amount to credit. Only valid when type is invoice_line_item. If invoice is set up with automatic_tax[enabled]=true, this amount is tax exclusive
- lines.description (string, optional) The description of the credit note line item. Only valid when the type is custom_line_item.
- lines.invoice_line_item (string, optional) The invoice line item to credit. Only valid when the type is invoice_line_item.
- lines.metadata (object, optional) Set of key-value pairs that you can attach to an object. This can be useful for storing additional information about the object in a structured format. Individual keys can be unset by posting an empty value to them. All keys can be unset by posting an empty value to metadata.
- lines.quantity (integer, optional) The line item quantity to credit.
- lines.tax_amounts (array of objects, optional) A list of up to 10 tax amounts for the credit note line item. Not valid when tax_rates is used or if invoice is set up with automatic_tax[enabled]=true.
  - lines.tax_amounts.amount (integer, required) The amount, in the smallest currency unit, of the tax.
  - lines.tax_amounts.tax_rate (string, required) The id of the tax rate for this tax amount. The tax rate must have been automatically created by Stripe.
  - lines.tax_amounts.taxable_amount (integer, required) The amount on which tax is calculated, in the smallest currency unit.
- lines.tax_rates (array of strings, optional) The tax rates which apply to the credit note line item. Only valid when the type is custom_line_item and tax_amounts is not used.
- lines.unit_amount (integer, optional) The integer unit amount in the smallest currency unit of the credit note line item. This unit_amount will be multiplied by the quantity to get the full amount to credit for this line item. Only valid when type is custom_line_item.
- lines.unit_amount_decimal (string, optional) Same as unit_amount, but accepts a decimal value in the smallest currency unit with at most 12 decimal places. Only one of unit_amount and unit_amount_decimal can be set.
memo (string, optional) The credit note’s memo appears on the credit note PDF.
metadata (object, optional) Set of key-value pairs that you can attach to an object. This can be useful for storing additional information about the object in a structured format. Individual keys can be unset by posting an empty value to them. All keys can be unset by posting an empty value to metadata.
out_of_band_amount (integer, optional) The integer amount in the smallest currency unit representing the amount that is credited outside of Stripe.
reason (enum, optional) Reason for issuing this credit note, one of duplicate, fraudulent, order_change, or product_unsatisfactory Possible enum values:
- duplicate Credit issued for a duplicate payment or charge
- fraudulent Credit note issued for fraudulent activity
- order_change Credit note issued for order change
- product_unsatisfactory Credit note issued for unsatisfactory product
refund_amount (integer, optional) The integer amount in the smallest currency unit representing the amount to refund. If set, a refund will be created for the charge associated with the invoice.
refunds (array of objects, optional) Refunds to link to this credit note.
- refunds.amount_refunded (integer, optional) Amount of the refund that applies to this credit note, in the smallest currency unit. Defaults to the entire refund amount.
- refunds.payment_record_refund (object, optional) The PaymentRecord refund details to link to this credit note. Required when type is payment_record_refund.
  - refunds.payment_record_refund.payment_record (string, required) The ID of the PaymentRecord with the refund to link to this credit note.
  - refunds.payment_record_refund.refund_group (string, required) The PaymentRecord refund group to link to this credit note. For refunds processed off-Stripe, this will correspond to the processor_details.custom.refund_reference field provided when reporting the refund on the PaymentRecord.
- refunds.refund (string, optional) ID of an existing refund to link this credit note to. Required when type is refund.
- refunds.type (enum, optional) Type of the refund, one of refund or payment_record_refund. Defaults to refund. Possible enum values:
  - payment_record_refund The refund being linked to this credit note is a payment record refund
  - refund The refund being linked to this credit note is a regular refund
shipping_cost (object, required conditionally) When shipping_cost contains the shipping_rate from the invoice, the shipping_cost is included in the credit note. One of amount, lines, or shipping_cost must be provided.
- shipping_cost.shipping_rate (string, required if shipping cost should be included for credit note) The ID of the shipping rate to use for this order.

curl

curl https://api.stripe.com/v1/credit_notes \
  -u "<<YOUR_SECRET_KEY>>" \
  -d invoice={{INVOICE_ID}}

Response

json

{
  "id": "cn_1MxvRqLkdIwHu7ixY0xbUcxk",
  "object": "credit_note",
  "amount": 1099,
  "amount_shipping": 0,
  "created": 1681750958,
  "currency": "usd",
  "customer": "cus_NjLgPhUokHubJC",
  "customer_balance_transaction": null,
  "discount_amount": 0,
  "discount_amounts": [],
  "invoice": "in_1MxvRkLkdIwHu7ixABNtI99m",
  "lines": {
    "object": "list",
    "data": [
      {
        "id": "cnli_1MxvRqLkdIwHu7ixFpdhBFQf",
        "object": "credit_note_line_item",
        "amount": 1099,
        "description": "T-shirt",
        "discount_amount": 0,
        "discount_amounts": [],
        "invoice_line_item": "il_1MxvRlLkdIwHu7ixnkbntxUV",
        "livemode": false,
        "quantity": 1,
        "tax_rates": [],
        "taxes": [],
        "type": "invoice_line_item",
        "unit_amount": 1099,
        "unit_amount_decimal": "1099"
      }
    ],
    "has_more": false,
    "url": "/v1/credit_notes/cn_1MxvRqLkdIwHu7ixY0xbUcxk/lines"
  },
  "livemode": false,
  "memo": null,
  "metadata": {},
  "number": "C9E0C52C-0036-CN-01",
  "out_of_band_amount": null,
  "pdf": "https://pay.stripe.com/credit_notes/acct_1M2JTkLkdIwHu7ix/test_YWNjdF8xTTJKVGtMa2RJd0h1N2l4LF9Oak9FOUtQNFlPdk52UXhFd2Z4SU45alpEd21kd0Y4LDcyMjkxNzU50200cROQsSK2/pdf?s=ap",
  "pre_payment_amount": 1099,
  "post_payment_amount": 0,
  "reason": null,
  "refunds": [],
  "shipping_cost": null,
  "status": "issued",
  "subtotal": 1099,
  "subtotal_excluding_tax": 1099,
  "total": 1099,
  "total_excluding_tax": 1099,
  "total_taxes": [],
  "type": "pre_payment",
  "voided_at": null
}

Create a credit note ​

Returns ​

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Response ​

Create a credit note

Returns

Parameters

Response